Our story
How an idea of meetings for people who lack company and support grew into a community organisation with projects.
The idea
When a person moves to another country, they are given a lot of advice: how to get documents, where to look for work, how to open an account. It is harder to find a place where you can simply meet people and not feel alone. Nikolay Klinkov saw this need and shaped the concept of a future community: company, mutual support and new opportunities for people in Ireland.
Founders
The community was started by Nikolay Klinkov. He formulated the original idea, identified the social problems the community's work could address, and developed the concept for its further development.
Vitalii Shatskyi became a co-founder and played a key role in the practical establishment of Fortuna Community: organising the first and later meetings, preparing events, building contacts, attracting participants and forming partnerships.
The joint work of Nikolay Klinkov and Vitalii Shatskyi turned the initiative into a working community, and then into a registered non-profit organisation.
Timeline
- March 2025. The first people gather at one table in Dublin; the community has met regularly since.
- Spring and summer 2026. The large Networking & Friends meeting (May), a picnic (July) and a day in nature (August).
- September 2026. Fortuna Community CLG is registered (1 September); two trial Business Booster sessions are held.
- October 2026. Participation in a business forum in Drogheda (10 October); a preliminary application for the Roots of Europe project is submitted (16 October).
From the first meetings to a developing community
Fortuna Community grew out of regular meetings where people of different professions and cultures got to know each other, talked and took part in developmental game formats. Working together helped overcome language and social barriers and build trust and skills in communication and teamwork. In time the meetings became the basis for wider educational, cultural, enterprise and social initiatives.
Today
Fortuna Community develops social, educational, cultural and enterprise initiatives. The meetings remain a living part of the community: they are how people find each other before they build something together. See our meetings and projects.
Read how we are run and meet the team.